Natural photothermal-responsive MXene-based antimicrobial nanomaterials Ti3C2/Au NPs for the treatment of deep Staphylococcus aureus-Infected wound

Abstract

Background: Infection by pathogenic bacteria presents a serious public health issue due to high morbidity and death rates. To aid infective wound closure and healing, a variety of anti-bacterial biomaterials optimized for multiple functions, including drug delivery, biosensing, or tissue engineering, have been designed and manufactured. Methods: Ti3C2 and gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) were chosen as the building blocks for self-assembling biomaterials. The materials were characterized, and then the anti-biofilm and antibacterial properties of Ti3C2/Au NPs against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) were examined. Results: Functionalized Ti3C2/Au NPs demonstrated to kill S. aureus and prevent biofilm development. Ti3C2/Au NPs with a photothermal property may eliminate germs in subcutaneous tissue under photo-irradiation, as demonstrated in the wound healing models and the subcutaneous abscess models. Meanwhile, histological evaluation revealed that Ti3C2/Au NPs may facilitate the conversion of macrophages from the M1 to M2 phenotype, and enhance angiogenesis to providing possible mechanisms by which this dressing fasten the healing of infected wounds. Conclusion: The Ti3C2/Au NPs self-delivery system suggested in this work may thus provide novel materials and techniques for anti-infectious wound treatments.

Keywords

• Infective wound
• MXene
• Photothermal
• Antimicrobial
• Ti3C2